Learning outcomes of the course unit

Reading and analysis of texts as an introduction to the tragic history of the twentieth century Russian.

This approach to Russian literature texts will offer to the students a basic knowledge and understanding in the field of the Russian literary culture in the XX century.
During the course, the student learns to
- understand the early XXth century Russian literary scene and, through the prism of the studied poetry, to grasp the historical, political, cultural and artistic panorama where it has taken that specific form;
- approach to literary texts in the original language, highlighting the formal characteristics and linking them with all the vivid polemics of the Stalinism;
find independently additional information on the topics discussed bibliography using both in print and digital material;
make judgments informed and motivated, based on a careful decoding of the text:
- refine the method of slow reading by applying it freely to other texts, exposing their interpretations in the light of the critical literature on the subject.

Prerequisites

An elementary knowledge of Russian (A2)

Course contents summary

Manuscripts and notebooks in the storm of Soviet Russia.
The Master and the Doctor between History and Eternity

Master and Margaret of Michail Bilgakov's Master and Margarita and Boris Pasternak's Dr. Zhivago, two great Russian novels of the Soviet era, both revolve around the figure of the writer seen in the problematic, relationship with his time. Like Hamlet, the artist bd rooted in the unpredictable concreteness of hic et nunc. Immersed in their time, but not conforming to it, Bulgakov and Pasternak were both an example of resistance. Their novels have many points in common: the alter ego of the author at the center, a Christic figure, the reflection on the relationship between History and Eternity, the complex structure with the mise en abîme of novel or poetry in the novel, the reflection on the Good and on its possible action in reality, the epilogue that shifts the action into a totally different dimension. In fact, these novels appear open and unfinished, because the novel form itself is unfinished, in its vain and incessant pursuit of life. As Woland says, handing the un-burned manuscript to the Master:
"The novel, unfortunately, is unfinished".

Complete bibliography and useful materials will be found on the course page on the platform Elly, during the first semester.

Teaching methods

Class lections with audiovisual material and oral discussion. Workshops on the period.
During the lectures the professor will introduce the main elements of the historical and cultural context, the author's profile and the novel, using both the bibliography of the course and additional visual or textual materials, that will be ​​available on the platform http://didattica.unipr.it. Suggestions for individual path of study and analysis will be provided, to stimulate a more original and independent approach to the subject.

Assessment methods and criteria

Oral examination and elective papers.
The oral examination will check
- Knowledge of texts, authors, their ideological context and formal issues of the literary period in question;
- Adequate ability to study independently, to re-elaborate personally the material learned during the course, to propose individual insights that go beyond the topics covered in the course, to solve problems decoding complex texts, and make independent judgments.
In order to verify the achievement of such knowledge and skills, oral test questions are designed to assess the knowledge, the ability of independent and original reworking of such knowledge, and the ability to apply knowledge through the analysis of the text and to extend it through connections, comparisons and contrasts.
The examination won't be considerated sufficient when the student can't demontrate a minimum understanding of the course material and the necessary ability to work autonomously with the course's content. Sufficient evaluation (18-23/30) is determined by the demonstration by the student to have learned the basic and minimum contents of the course, a sufficient level of self-preparation, ability to solve problems related to information retrieval and decoding of texts, as well as the formulation of independent judgment. Scores between 24 and -27 are assigned to the student who produces evidence of a level more than sufficient (24-25/30) or good (26-27/30) evaluation indicators listed above. Higher scores (from 28/30 to 30/30 cum laude) are awardedin presence of a very good to excellent evaluation.